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By applying silviculture theory to corals, the coral gardening concept represented a breakthrough in coral reef restoration. It is a two-step process that employs either ex-situ or in-situ nurseries to grow fragments in sheltered, favourable conditions until they are ready to be outplanted on degraded reefs. This technique allows for the production of a greater number of colonies using smaller fragments, making it a viable methodology at larger scales while also reducing the damage to wild colonies. Currently our nursery hosts three main kind of structures: tree, rack and cone nurseries. He noticed that corals rolling around under his ship quickly turned white and died, but by securing the loose coral to a piece of bamboo pounded in the sand they would survive. For this he is credited with being the first coral restorationist.